Did anyone know Christie Wilson, the card counter murdered in 2005 at Thunder Valley Casino?

[Dan Druff]

Yesterday I happened upon this episode of Forensic Files, and was instantly intrigued because it dealt with the murder of a female card counter in 2005:





The victim was 27-year-old Christie Wilson. She would be 47 today.





As you guys know, there aren't very many females in the AP/blackjack scene, and I figured I would have heard of her. However, until seeing that episode yesterday, I hadn't heard of her nor the murder.

The initial suspect was her boyfriend and fellow counter Danny Burlando. I believe he'd be early 50s today.

There were a lot of reasons to believe Burlando was guilty. He and Wilson had several physical altercations in their tumultuous relationship. He was the one who reported her missing. She had told her parents that she was "trying to get out" of the relationship with him. Burlando also appeared to contradict himself during questioning, and he made 78 calls to her cell phone during the day she was missing -- behavior police believed was indicative of someone trying overly hard to stage concern.

However, it turned out Burlando was completely innocent.

Wilson had been drugged while playing blackjack by a 52-year-old pervert named Mario Garcia, who dropped something in her drink at the table, and then was able to get Wilson to leave the casino with him. After getting her in his car, he presumably tried to rape her, there was a struggle, and he killed her in some way, then buried the body. This isn't just theory. As you'll see from the episode, there was tons of forensic evidence linking Garcia to the murder of Wilson, and it was enough to send him to prison for life. And in case you still think he might have been railroaded, in 2020 they found Wilson's body beneath Garcia's 2005 home.

Garcia also had a very violent past. He clearly had murdered a girlfriend and her mom in 1979 by staging an auto accident, and somehow got away with it. He also had kidnapped and raped an ex-girlfriend, but in that situation got to plea down to a misdemeanor. He shouldn't have been out on the streets at all.

Two questions for the peanut gallery:

1) Did any of you know Christie Wilson?

2) Did any of you know Danny Burlando at any time? For all I know, he could be a poster here. Here's the way Burlando looked in 2005:





Note that everyone involved was in the greater Sacramento area at the time, not Vegas.

[Rob.Singer]

Not many female counters? Who would know this as fact? Not everyone is as boisterously obnoxious on forums about being a claimed counter like kew is.

I've been slurping noodles at Red Bloom in Atlantis Reno with a friendly extended Chinese family this summer pretty regularly. After they heard I'm a retired professional vp player they opened up about what they do in casinos. 3 of the women said they count cards in Reno casinos--which contradicts kew's made-up nonsense about it bring impossible to do in that town.

[kewlJ]

Rob invented, not 1, but a family of Asian female card counters working Reno. And they opened up to him, a complete stranger, inside a casino. Because that is what card counters do....tell complete strangers in a casino that they count cards.

Don't you ever get tired of embarrassing yourself Rob?

[Tasha]

To be fair, innocent Burlando looks like a hardened Criminal in that courtroom photo you showed of him. I honestly at first thought that was the Murderer and rapist GARCIA you showed in that courtroom photo .

Shame the victim died at only 27 ad in such a brutal way. My God, she and I were only 6 years apart. You are absolutely right that Garcia shouldn't have been out on the streets in the first place. Maybe the victim would have been still alive today.

[smurgerburger]

No to your questions but I remember this episode and remember coming away with the impression that they were kind of overplaying the card counting aspect, as one might expect.

[Dan Druff]

Not many female counters? Who would know this as fact? Not everyone is as boisterously obnoxious on forums about being a claimed counter like kew is.

I've been slurping noodles at Red Bloom in Atlantis Reno with a friendly extended Chinese family this summer pretty regularly. After they heard I'm a retired professional vp player they opened up about what they do in casinos. 3 of the women said they count cards in Reno casinos--which contradicts kew's made-up nonsense about it bring impossible to do in that town.

The vast, vast, vast majority of card counters are male.

I'm not saying that I know of all the female counters, but I'm surprised I hadn't heard of a female counter who had been murdered while at the casino doing so!

[Dan Druff]

No to your questions but I remember this episode and remember coming away with the impression that they were kind of overplaying the card counting aspect, as one might expect.

She definitely thought she was a card counter. Whether she actually could count profitably is in question. I have known a lot of "counters" over time who either don't know rule deviations, make too many -EV "cover" plays to be profitable, overtip to the point of becoming -EV, or (most commonly) tilt when losing and transform from +EV to -EV overall.

In fact, the latter is the reason most casinos don't insta-ban you if you're a counter who has started off losing. They let you keep playing to see if you tilt, and if you manage to keep your head on straight and begin to make a comeback, they boot you. In fact, that's the exact story of how I got backed off the very first time!

Interestingly, the Forensic Files episode did NOT say she was a counter, but strongly implied it.

BTW, I would be surprised if Thunder Valley allowed winning counters to get away with regularly playing there, even in 2005. It's possible that being a white female that she got extra leeway, though, as she wouldn't have fit the counter stereotype (which I unfortunately do).

[kewlJ]

I never heard of this person, nor this case. Of course, in 2005, my little corner of the blackjack world and world in general took place in Philadelphia/Atlantic city. So I watched the episode, just because of the card counter implication.

I don't see where her (and her unemployed boyfriend) considering themselves card counters has anything at all to do with this case. As has been noted by Dan Druff, the casino would not have allowed a "winning counter" to play regularly, like they apparently did, with employees familiar with here. So you can only conclude that casino didn't consider her a real card counter, at least not one that was ANY kind of threat.

I mean this kind of case could have happened anywhere that they serve drinks....a bar or night club ect. It just happened to occur at a casino. The card counter angle is irrelevant.

[smurgerburger]

Well it's not like she was playing the LV strip day after day for decades. I mean that would be a bit of a stretch.

[kewlJ]

Well it's not like she was playing the LV strip day after day for decades. I mean that would be a bit of a stretch.

I shouldn't even respond to this kind of bullshit. I have not played the LV strip for decades. My first decade in Vegas, I rarely played on the strip. I intentionally stayed away. There was exactly 1 strip casino that was part of my regular rotation. I played that location 2-3 times a month, but they were a large casino with at least 3 pits, so I made sure not to see or play with the same dealer and pit. There were another 2 casinos that were not part of my primary rotation, but I played once in a while, not even once a month.

Now, I did play about 3 dozen non strip casinos on a regular basis. (part of primary rotation). But that was the whole purpose of playing a large rotation of casinos,....so I didn't see and play with the same people very often. At most I played a casino once a week and I intentionally played different times (shifts) and days so as NOT to see the same people.

This game plan didn't occur by accident. My play in Atlantic City, especially when I moved up in stakes, proved to me that a card counter playing for a living, must have a large rotation of games and casinos. THAT is why I moved to Las Vegas and why I came up with the plan I did.

Smurgerburger, I am aware you have decided you don't like me and choose not to believe my history, but do you have to lie about things like this? I have been very open in sharing a lot of what I do and how I play. And VERY consistent. This lying like this isn't a good look for you. It just makes you look like another troll/hater with a bug up your ass.

[smurgerburger]

Three dozen non-strip casinos, you say.

You should probably just backpedal this one now and save us both some time.

[kewlJ]

Three dozen non-strip casinos, you say.

You should probably just backpedal this one now and save us both some time.

That is correct. My rotation was always at least 30 different casinos, with another handful that I played but didn't consider my primary rotation. I have said this many times and on at least 1 occasion even listed most of them. I have also provided a list privately for a number of players.

And once again, that does not mean there were 30-36 really good games in Las Vegas. There were usually about 8-10 that I would consider really good games. I rounded out my rotation with mediocre games. Game like 6 deck 75% penetration (even down to 70%) that other counters don't bother with.

And here is a little tidbit for you. When I shared some of the casino I played, whether publicly or privately, I usually held back on a couple of my "best" games. I held those back for just me. Sue me.

[MDawg]

kewlJ is basically the Boy Who Cried Wolf of these AP forums. He has lied so many times that it's impossible to believe any stories he tells

[kewlJ]

This game plan didn't occur by accident. My play in Atlantic City, especially when I moved up in stakes, proved to me that a card counter playing for a living, must have a large rotation of games and casinos. THAT is why I moved to Las Vegas and why I came up with the plan I did.

And by the way, this is the same game plan of EVERY professional and/or professional level card counter (those that are left). Unlike me, most play a large rotation consisting of casinos throughout the country. (A lot of travel). I decided I didn't want to do all that traveling, so I moved to Las Vegas the place with the most casinos in close proximity and set up my rotation. It did mean I had to substitute some mediocre games into the rotation, rather than playing all really good games, but the plus side, was I eliminated most of the travel.

And this is EXACTLY why anyone claiming to be making a living counting cards, and claiming to play a location with limited casinos like Reno or even Atlantic City is full of shit. And that included the late guy posting as moses as well as Rob's make believe family of female Asian card counters. The longevity you can achieve in a smaller location with limited casinos is weeks to several months....NOT years.

Now stop hijacking dan Druffs thread with bullshit about me. If you have questions about things I do or have said, there are dozens of appropriate threads that you can ask. And I have been very accommodating answering questions and explaining things I do and how I do them over the years. Obviously there are things I don't and won't share but in general I have been very accomadating.

[Rob.Singer]

Kew, what an honor it is that as soon as you see me post--which you look for first thing in your dozens of visits here daily--that you again show what a weak, undisciplined worry wart you are....not that even more confirmation was needed since all of you homos lack courage and strength to ever do what you say you're gonna do.

This Chinese family and my wife & I are not strangers, and we're certainly not like someone like you--who's an outcast at best. We started talking because they overheard us at dinner at Chi in the Peppermill talking about food comparisons when I lived in China. We've since become friendly acquaintances--something a loser like you knows nothing about. In fact, they'd reject a phony like you in minutes. And they don't "make a living" playing bj. You made that up to fit your false narrative. They count cards and make money from it.

BTW--anyone can tell you're nothing but a poser who lies his way thru the internet, even if they haven't already witnessed you getting caught tossing around your whoppers. How? Because NO ONE spends the majority of their life trying to convince others of anything, and then go berserk if they don't believe the bs. You are your own worst enemy. You are the joke.

Now let's hear how you've got me and mdawg on "blocked status" again!

[kewlJ]

How many times do we have to go over this Rob? yes, you and Dawg are on ignore. Dan Druff can confirm if he wants to. Why do we have to pretend you don't know what that means. It means I still see some of your posts. It is just I chose not to respond most of the time, because you are irrelevant....completely irrelevant. You are equivalent to the homeless people sitting on the corner jibber-jabbering.

Now as for your silly little story about some female Asians that count cards in Reno, I guess you are now saying, recreationally at low levels.....what the fuck does that have to do with anything that was EVER discussed?

Starting with discussions with Moses I have stated professional players or even just players playing for any decent money can't play these smaller regions for very long....days or weeks, not months or years. The discussion NEVER was about whether some Chinese ladies can count cards at $5 level and not be harassed. Being both Asian and female, almost guarantees they wouldn't be harassed playing very low limit. That is not a good look for a casino, to be 86ing Asian females playing $5 a hand.

You are such a fucking retard Rob Singer or whatever your name is. You really are.

[kewlJ]

Looking at the history of Rob Singer, This whole trolling "schtick" came about because degenerate gambler Rob was bitterly envy of Bob Dancer and his success as an AP. That is why he picked the name "singer". Throughout the years Bitter Rob has trolled and harassed numerous successful APs, including mickeycrimm for a decade. APs Rob Knew were winning successful AP. And for the last number of years, he has had his sights set on me.

All these people are and were real APs plying different real, legit advantage plays and winning (long-term). THAT is what Rob Hates. He is NOT an AP and hasn't and doesn't win. Rob is a degenerate gambler and apparently pretty fucking bitter about it. It is your own damn fault....your own doing, Rob, you fucking moron.

[Dan Druff]

Back to the story itself.

Apparently one good thing came out of the COVID pandemic.

Garcia died of COVID in January 2021, at the age of 68. He was likely at risk due to being overweight and in his late 60s. January 2021 was the month when COVID killed the most people in the US. It was just before the vaccine was released to the most vulnerable population, and the winter months caused people to stay indoors more often, thus spreading the disease more easily. (This is the same reason the flu ramps up in the fall and winter, before fading in the spring and virtually vanishing in the summer.)

It is possible that Garcia was also in ill health already, which would have made him even more vulnerable to COVID. In the late 2010s, he wrote to Wilson's mother, apologizing for what he did to their family, but stopping short of confessing. He seemed to be implying he would exchange the info of where the body was buried for the family's support to parole him. In the letter, he wrote, "I would do anything to die among my loved ones." At the time, COVID didn't yet exist, so it wasn't about that. However, he was indeed dead less than 4 years later.

Most COVID deaths are very unpleasant. It's not like a heart attack where you just abruptly go. In some cases, COVID slowly takes away your ability to breathe, leaving you gasping for air, until you can't breathe anymore and die. In other cases, you just deteriorate badly, and your other chronic diseases combine with the virus to kill you. I'm glad this serial killer finally got what he deserved, and that at least his last 15 years on earth were spent behind bars.

When the Omicron variant of COVID clobbered the then-dominant Delta variant in 2022, the entire disease changed. Omicron was far milder, rendering the disease far more flu-like in risk profile. This changed COVID into a disease only dangerous to the elderly and those with major health conditions, much like the flu. That's why you don't hear of middle-aged people dying of COVID anymore, and even those under 70 are mostly safe from it. However, in early 2021, when Garcia died, the original COVID variant was still dominant, and that was deadly to a wide swath of people over 45. Contrary to what the left likes to report, the vaccine did NOT end the pandemic. The vaccine did reduce deaths by a large margin, but the pandemic ended because of the disease's natural progression into the much milder Omicron version, which remains today.

[jdaewoo]

Contrary to what the left likes to report, the vaccine did NOT end the pandemic.

What retard thinks "the left" likes to report that the vaccine ended the pandemic?

Literally the only retards that "like to report that" are ones that think He saved us with Operation Warp Speed.

[Dan Druff]

Contrary to what the left likes to report, the vaccine did NOT end the pandemic.

What retard thinks "the left" likes to report that the vaccine ended the pandemic?

Literally the only retards that "like to report that" are ones that think He saved us with Operation Warp Speed.

Because it's true?

Seriously, go try it yourself.

Ask anyone you know who consistently votes Democrat, "Why is COVID no longer a problem today like it was in 2020 and 2021?"

Almost all of them will say, "Because of the vaccine" or "Because of the vaccine and social distancing."

You'll get very few answers which are correct: "Because it mutated to the Omicron variant, which is orders of magnitude milder, which would have occurred with or without the vaccine's existence."

To be fair, most on the right won't get it correct, either. They will also give a stupid answer, usually in the form of, "Because it was never that dangerous in the first place. It was always like the flu, and the media was overblowing it. Then they finally gave up when they realized people were seeing through the hoax."

Both sides were very poorly informed during the pandemic. Left-wing misinformation was coming from the media, and right-wing misinformation was coming from conspiritards online.